Nyad trying to prove 60 is the new 40

First appeared on August 3rd, 2011
in The Lebanon Reporter

Do you think Sharks get excited about Shark Week? Are they tuning their television sets to Discovery Channel with a bowl of goldfish and an ice cold Landshark Lager? Do they enjoy watching humans poking, prodding, photographing, measuring and strapping everything from a camera to a monkey wearing a crash helmet to their backs?
I can’t say with any certainty how Sharks feel as a whole about Shark Week, I can say however that some will likely be excited about the prospect of meeting Diana Nyad. Having already proven she’s a fan of physical torture by swimming from the Bahamas to Florida, Nyad now wants to travel the 103 miles from Cuba to Florida. A previous attempt saw her lose 29 pounds after swimming just 42 of the estimated 60 hour trip.
The intimidating distance, wide array of health dangers (including the astounding rate of weight loss) and fact that this stretch of the Caribbean is what sharks of the world call the “Ginza District” are not the most amazing aspects of Diana’s journey. Nyad, who is a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, will attempt this swim at the age of 61.
When asked about embarking on such a physically demanding journey at a time when most her age are mulling retirement options, Nyad was clear the trip is not self-indulgent. “It’s about feeling strong at 60 and showing it”, she told NPR recently.
Already the owner of a record for longest ocean swim, Nyad is also the fastest to ever circumnavigate the Island of Manhattan. This second feat is vastly underrated considering the pollution rate of rivers on the Eastern Seaboard.
From 1990-94 the Hudson River swallowed over 1.7 million pounds of direct toxic discharge. The fact alone she survived circling Manhattan is perhaps the single greatest accomplishment known to man (outside Al Gore’s inventing the internet of course).
Members of PETA will tell you Nyad has nothing to worry about when it comes to swimming with the sharks of the Caribbean. But, for having never watched Shark Week or Jaws eleven times in a two day span, clearly they are not qualified to speak on this topic.
The 22 member team that will accompany Nyad on her trip will rely on satellites to generate positioning signals (fancy jargon for GPS) and have already employed the services of meteorologists (fancy jargon for modern day snake charmers) who are currently searching for the best 3 day window. As for infrared technology the team shouldn’t have trouble spotting Nyad swimming at night considering, after being in the Hudson River, she probably glows in the dark anyway.
Kayakers will follow dragging an electronic shark shield and a team of 4 Expert Shark Divers will intervene if necessary. Another swimmer completed the same trip in 1997 by swimming inside a steel shark cage. Nyad’s team either couldn’t afford one or it was confiscated by the TSA because she plans to swim without it. Still, the group is insistent no sharks will be harmed on the trip.
If successful in her endeavor, Nyad will certainly inspire many Americans. Her intention is to motivate people to go out and chase their dreams no matter their age; to finally do the things they’ve put off for years. And, if a 61 year old really can swim 100 miles, maybe I’ll be inspired to get off the couch instead of sending my three year old to the pantry to rummage for potato chips. He doesn’t seem to mind too much, as long as I promise not to turn off Shark Week that is.

© 2011 Eric Walker Williams